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When it seems winter will never end, think of Mexico's sunny beaches and sightseeing in shorts and a T-shirt. January is one of the best times to visit Mexico. After New Year's, vacationers can avoid both the Christmas crowds and the spring break demand while benefiting from mild temperatures and no rainfall. Mexico is a big country with three major coastlines – five times bigger than California – where landscapes and climates vary throughout its 32 states.

Winter Escapes to Mexico

Winter is high season in Mexico thanks to the winter holidays and large numbers of Americans and Canadians looking to escape the big freeze. However, after the Christmas rush and before spring break, January counts as one of the best times to go south of the border. This is the middle of the dry season most everywhere in Mexico, so there are no concerns that clouds might spoil a vacation.

Things to Do and See in Mexico During Winter

On the Pacific coast, it's whale-watching season from December through March. At a UNESCO World Heritage Site butterfly reserve only 60 miles northwest of Mexico City, hundreds of millions of Monarch butterflies descend upon groves of oyamel fir trees from November through February. Sightseeing in winter is the ideal time for discovering the picturesque city of San Miguel de Allende in Mexico's central highlands. Combine Mexico City with the holy city of Teotihuacan, only 30 miles from the capital. Or visit Yucatan beaches as well as Mayan ruins such as Tulum and Chichen Itza.

Easter and Spring Break in Mexico

Check the dates for Easter each year, as airfares and hotel prices are likely to spike over that period. Mexicans take an extended Easter vacation, especially to places like Taxco and Pátzcuaro where the celebrations are well known. Together with spring break for U.S. college students, this is a particularly busy time at the beaches. Once Easter is past, May and June are considered low season, although Cinco de Mayo on May 5 attracts interest. While prices may moderate somewhat, keep in mind that temperatures climb during these months. Things get increasing hot and sticky as humidity moves in, starting in June.

Summer Heats Up in Mexico

High heat and humidity during the rainy season in summer do not make June, July and August Mexico's best season for vacations. Nevertheless, prices reflect high season rates, especially in places that Mexicans favor, such as Veracruz and Acapulco. Europeans and North Americans use summer vacation to head for easily accessible beach resorts with plenty of direct flights, such as Cabo San Lucas and Cancun. However, the Yucatan Peninsula will be hot and steamy, with temperatures in the 90s. The northern Mexican states nearest to the U.S. border are particularly hot in summer, and should be avoided. Mexico City, with its high elevation, is comfortable year-round, but take into consideration whether it's rainy season.

Visiting Mexico in Autumn

Fall is low season, because back-to-school means fewer families. There are a couple of national holidays that make for long weekends; September 16 is Mexican Independence Day and the third Monday in November is Revolution Day. One of the biggest celebrations in Mexican culture is Day of the Dead, a three-day event over All Souls Day at the start of November. In Mexican villages, everyone gathers to honor departed ancestors, friends and family members. Despite its name, the holiday calls for colorful and festive face paint, costumes and parades filled with song and commemorations at flower-strewn altars. A weather word of caution to would-be vacationers: The hurricane season that starts in June continues into September and October. Even without a hurricane, heavy rains hit the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico coasts, as well as Baja California on the Pacific coast.

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About the Author

Based in San Francisco, Laurie Jo Miller Farr is career-long destination and hotel marketing specialist. She contributes to CBS Travel, Where, Frommers, Foodie Travel USA and We Blog the World. She is editor of The Travel Vertical, a weekly newsletter for digital travel marketers. A former tourism director for NYC, Laurie Jo is a dual UK/US citizen who covered the 2012 London Olympics for "Best of Britain" and received the 2013 Yahoo Contributor of the Year Award.

Leaf Group is a USA TODAY content partner providing general travel information. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Mexico City - Palacio Nacional. Mural by Diego Rivera showing the life in Aztec times, i.e., the city of Tenochtitlan.

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